[imagesource: MyBroadband]
Expo 2020 Dubai is running from October 1, 2021, to March 31 of this year.
It was originally slated for October 20, 2020, through to April 10, 2021, hence the rather confusing name.
Suffice to say it hasn’t been a rip-roaring success for team South Africa, given the Expo’s aim is all about ‘Connecting Minds and Creating the Future’ through sustainability, mobility and opportunity.
Social media was very critical of our stand after images and video emerged, but our government has hit back with “claims it is an excellent showcase of the country’s value proposition”.
Sygnia founder and executive chair Magda Wierzycka was just one of many prominent figures to put the boot in:
I wish they published photos of the SA booth at the Dubai Expo. Beyond sad. For a beautiful country like SA we showcased nothing. https://t.co/YwquimigSC
— Magda Wierzycka (@Magda_Wierzycka) January 26, 2022
Sorry, Lindiwe has just been really busy trashing South Africa’s Constitution as part of her push to become the face of the ANC’s RET faction.
But she did find time to meet with Gupta-linked Salim Essa’s banking buddy during her December visit to the Dubai Expo.
Priorities.
Magda talks about photos of our display and this image, in particular, has done the rounds:
Apparently this
was a SA display at the Dubai expo our esteemed minister Sisulu attended last year December. pic.twitter.com/zVUvLsbh20
— Desire Tablai (@DesireTablai) January 28, 2022
Mmusi Maimane (remember him?) also weighed in and shared the same image:
Why does excellent public education matter? Because without it you will bring sweets to a robot exhibition.
Can you believe that this is what South Africa is showcasing at the Dubai Expo
When we talk about solid foundations those help with academic and technical skills. pic.twitter.com/6rXXuGhefU
— Mmusi Maimane (@MmusiMaimane) January 28, 2022
In isolation, that looks woefully undercooked.
However, MyBroadband also shared this video walk-through:
There are aspects of the display that seem quite well put together. There are also Flings packets laid flat on the bottom rung of a shelf. At least there are NikNaks.
Ouma Rusks not getting a shoutout? Harsh.
I popped past Expo 2020’s South African page and found this:
We might have fallen short of showcasing our “rich heritage, incredible wonders, our creativity and innovative thinking”:
Many others shared this view, saying it was the worst display of any country and a far cry from the “truly majestic pavilions erected by other countries”.
“The other countries put so much effort into their pavilions. They were intentional about what they wanted to highlight and showcase to the world,” a South African living in the country said.
“South Africa was so disappointing. We could have built a stunning pavilion, but the opportunity was wasted.”
We have until the end of March – can’t we maybe jazz things up a little at our stand before then?
I’m sure there are countless ministers who would take an all-expenses paid trip to Dubai in order to lend a hand.
To finish, and in the interest of fairness, here’s a video shared in October last year offering additional footage of what we’re showcasing:
[sources:mybroadband&expo2020]
